1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backup system for an operation system in a communications system in which network elements (NEs) and a plurality of operation systems (OpSs) for operating the NEs, are connected to each other via a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has hitherto been a communications system in which at least one NE and a plurality of OpSs for operating the NE are connected to each other via the network. In this communications system, the following methods are adopted for monitoring a normality of the OpS itself.
(1) A host OpS for monitoring the OpSs is installed in the communications system.
(2) The OpSs monitor each other.
The method (1) or (2) being adopted, if a trouble occurs in a certain OpS in the communications system, the host OpS or other OpS as a substitute for the OpS with the trouble occurred operates the NEs. The communications system is thereby operated with stability.
There arise the following problems inherent in the prior art. If the method (1) is adopted, the host OpS and other device must be installed in the communications system, and this configuration leads to a rise in operating cost for the communications system. Further, if the method (2) is adopted, a load on the OpS increases, with the result that a performance of the OpS declines.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a backup system for an operation system in a communications system including network elements (Network Elements) and a plurality of operation systems, which has no necessity of further providing a system for monitoring the operation systems and is capable of restraining a rise in load upon the operation system.
To accomplish the above object of the present invention, according to one aspect of the present invention, a backup system for an operation system in a communications system, comprising: a plurality of operation systems connected to each other via a network; and a plurality of network elements operated by the plurality of operation systems, wherein each of the operation systems operates at least one of the plurality of network elements, each of the network elements monitors the operation system that operates the network element itself and detects failures in this operation system, when the failures are detected, if the failures-detected operation system operates a plurality of network elements, a representative network element is determined among the plurality of network elements under the failures-detected operation system, the representative network element selects a substitute operation system among the other operation systems and transmits an operation request to the substitute operation system, and each of the operation systems, when receiving the operation request, as the substitute operation system, operates the plurality of network elements under the failures-detected operation system.
According to the present invention, in the communications system including the NEs and the plurality of operation systems, there is no necessity of further providing the system for monitoring the operation systems, and the rise of load on the OpS can be restrained.